BIKINI ATOLL
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Bikini Atoll itself is already a sort of monument.
The very shape of this shallow, crescent-shaped band of coral reef and volcanic earth has been altered by man in an irrevocable way. This is a site that saw twenty-three nuclear bombs detonated on its land, in its water, and in the sky above it.
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Following World War II, this small island was acquired by the United States of America’s government and would become the target of nuclear devices in order to test their destructive power.
Of these tests, perhaps the most infamous is of the Castle Bravo device.
This bomb yielded a force of 15 megatonnes of TNT, and is--to this day--the largest nuclear detonation facilitated by the United States’ Government.
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NUCLEAR DEVICES TESTED
In total, twenty-three of a proposed twenty-six nuclear bomb tests were conducted on this small island.
In total, twenty-three of a proposed twenty-six nuclear bomb tests were conducted on this small island.
These tests came in opperational phases: the first being those of the Cross-roads; followed by Castle (containing the afforementioned Castle Bravo); penultimately came Redwing; and finally Hardtack 1 saw the closing of the nuclear program on the island.
These tests came in opperational phases: the first being those of the Cross-roads; followed by Castle (containing the afforementioned Castle Bravo); penultimately came Redwing; and finally Hardtack 1 saw the closing of the nuclear program on the island.
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TIMELINE AND SIZES OF DETONATIONS
NUCLEAR DEVICES TESTED
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CROSS-ROADS 24 July 1946 Baker 21 kt of TNT 30 June 1946 Able 23 kt of TNT CASTLE 1 March 1954 Bravo 15 Mt of TNT 25 April 1954 Union 6.9 Mt of TNT 27 April 1954 Yankee II 13.5 Mt of TNT 5 April 1954 Nectar 1.7 Mt of TNT 27 March 1954 Romeo 11 Mt of TNT 7 April 1954 Koon 110 kt of TNT REDWING 20 May 1956 Cherokee 3.8 Mt of TNT 27 May 1956 Zunimm 3.5 Mt of TNT 6 June 1956 Flathead 365 kt of TNT 11 June 1956 Zuni 3.5 Mt of TNT 25 June 1956 Dakota 11 Mt of TNT 10 July 1956 Navajo 4.5 Mt of TNT HARDTACK 1 28 April 1958 Yucca 1.7 kt of TNT 11 May 1958 Fir 1.4 Mt of TNT 21 May 1958 Nutmeg 25.1 kt of TNT 31 May 1958 Sycamore 92 kt of TNT 10 June 1958 Maple 213 kt of TNT 14 June 1958 Aspen 319 kt of TNT 27 June 1958 Redwood 412 kt of TNT 29 June 1958 Hickory 14 kt of TNT 2 July 1958 Cedar 220 kt of TNT 12 July 1958 Poplar 9.3 Mt of TNT 22 July 1958 Juniper 65 kt of TNT,
CROSS-ROADS 24 July 1946 Baker 21 kt of TNT 30 June 1946 Able 23 kt of TNT CASTLE 1 March 1954 Bravo 15 Mt of TNT 25 April 1954 Union 6.9 Mt of TNT 27 April 1954 Yankee II 13.5 Mt of TNT 5 April 1954 Nectar 1.7 Mt of TNT 27 March 1954 Romeo 11 Mt of TNT 7 April 1954 Koon 110 kt of TNT REDWING 20 May 1956 Cherokee 3.8 Mt of TNT 27 May 1956 Zunimm 3.5 Mt of TNT 6 June 1956 Flathead 365 kt of TNT 11 June 1956 Zuni 3.5 Mt of TNT 25 June 1956 Dakota 11 Mt of TNT 10 July 1956 Navajo 4.5 Mt of TNT HARDTACK 1 28 April 1958 Yucca 1.7 kt of TNT 11 May 1958 Fir 1.4 Mt of TNT 21 May 1958 Nutmeg 25.1 kt of TNT 31 May 1958 Sycamore 92 kt of TNT 10 June 1958 Maple 213 kt of TNT 14 June 1958 Aspen 319 kt of TNT 27 June 1958 Redwood 412 kt of TNT 29 June 1958 Hickory 14 kt of TNT 2 July 1958 Cedar 220 kt of TNT 12 July 1958 Poplar 9.3 Mt of TNT 22 July 1958 Juniper 65 kt of TNT,
MAP OF MICRONESIA
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MARSHALL ISLANDS
7 The island itself was not a vacant rock devoid of life, but rather a small portion of an extended ethnic kingdom–owing itself to the Marshallese peoples of the Marshall Island chain.
Not only were the local populations negatively impacted by the unpredictable fallout patterns, but those whose jobs kept them at sea nearby were blasted with invisible radiation and a snowfall-like precipitation of radioactive debris. Those who were caught in the many thousand mile wide zone of fallout--who did not die immediately--would be physically scarred by radiation burns for the rest of their lives.
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Perhaps there’s nothing particularly special about the events surrounding the island itself; after all, the decades long Cold War saw a multitude of humanitarian and ecological disasters of a similar cast.
The island itself was not host to a large populace, only having a few dozen aboriginal bikini islanders at the time of the evacuation of the island.
But the fact remains that an island that was once host to a people and unique fauna, was poisoned–likely for centuries–in a bid to enhance the firepower of an increasingly impractical and existentially dangerous weapons system.
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For a more practical monument, one that can be seen by Mason students and serve as a more local reminder, I would have a concrete foundation laid between the benches at Mason Pond.
For a more practical monument, one that can be seen by Mason students and serve as a more local reminder, I would have a concrete foundation laid between the benches at Mason Pond.
Within this foundation, a basin would be erected, but one with a transparent filament that–in theory–would show the original shape of the island before it was bombarded.
Within this foundation, a basin would be erected, but one with a transparent filament that–in theory–would show the original shape of the island before it was bombarded.
Within this transparent shape, water would flow to the current island’s artificially deepened cove. This would be a sort of before and after comparison
Within this transparent shape, water would flow to the current island’s artificially deepened cove. This would be a sort of before and after comparison
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THE MONUMENT
Another memorial could be erected in Point Loma in San Diego.
It would face in the direction of the actual island and the frequent visitors would hopefully take notice and learn a little something of it. There is another monument nearby, the Cabrillo National Monument, which celebrates the first Europeans (Spanish) to travel to the west coast.
I think there could be a balance of these notions in having these two monuments in somewhat close proximity.
Because after all, the nation that would some day stretch from this coast to the east, will continue the tradition of throwing its weight around.
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DEPTH OF CASTLE BRAVO CRATER
TEST SITES, MAP
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